A couple of recently done Daisy paintings for the Wet Canvas Floral groups monthly challenge. This months challenge was "blue" flowers. I had found these in their reference library and just had to paint them. I had asters in this color at one time, growing in my yard - there's something special about a true-blue flower color. I'm so use to the pinks and reds, but the blue flower is, to me, rather unique.
But I was amazed to learn that there are many blue flowers. From periwinkle, to daisy, to iris's and some I'm not sure the name of. If you click over to the forum you can see quite an assortment of flowers and art techniques. Some of these are unique also.
Some of my earliest memories of flowers were again with my grandfather. We would visit my grandparents house every Sunday afternoon. This was tradition and it was done for what seemed like forever. I mean, "it was Sunday afternoon, time to go to the grandparents house" was as standard as "it's Monday morning, time to go to work/school." But I didn't mind, it was fun to visit them. First off, in the eyes of your grandparents, you can do no-wrong. Secondly, my grandmother was a great cook. Third, my grandfather had fantastic gardens.
If the weather was good when we arrived at their house, my grandfather would take me out into the back yard and walk me all around. He would show me what had grown, recently sprouted, flowered, and seeded. He would point out each flower and tell me it's name, and anything special about it. I loved the snapdragons - he would always pick one, pinch it so it's "mouth" would open & then stick it on my nose. His roses were the largest and the most wonderful smelling roses I ever knew.
The gardens had everything you could think of: tomatoes, peppers, radishes, lettuce, green beans, pumpkins & squash. There were also grapevines (with grapes!) and fig bushes. Everywhere else he had planted flowers and tended his gardens on a regular basis. It was rare to find a weed anywhere.
These days, I look forward to spring every year because it gives me a chance to do my plantings. I don't do vegetables these days (except maybe a tomato plant or two). I do have herbs (basil, parsley, chives, rosemary & oregano). And always flowers. All colors, even blue ones! And I can't look at a snapdragon without thinking of my grandfather. Sometimes I even pick one & pinch it's "mouth" open. It won't fit on my nose anymore but I laugh with delight at the memory.
Acrylic, each on a 9x12 canvas
3 comments:
A beautiful depth of field in this painting with an even more beautiful subject. I loved hearing your stories about being with your grandparents. Going to my grandparents' homes with my mom and dad was a pretty regular thing growing up as well. I just hope and pray that one day my own grandkids have special memories of us like you do, Nancie.
Another beautiful painting and story. Your memories of your grandparents sound wonderful. How nice that now, when you are gardening, you can remember those times with your grandfather.
Wonderful painting, and a story that was expecially touching. I learned my love of gardening and growing things from my mother, and her mother, and shared it with my father-in-law until he passed. Now that my daughter has her own home, she is discovering the joy of the garden, and we share plants, tips and lots of memories!
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